Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Carol Hughes officially opened her Elliot Lake campaign office today.
Hughes, representing the New Democrats in the riding she was first elected to in 2008, is seeking a fourth term.
In the 2015 election, she defeated Liberal candidate Heather Wilson with 16,516 votes to Wilson’s 14,111 votes. Wilson is again representing the Liberals in the upcoming federal election on Oct. 21.
Hughes, along with several supporters, opened the office at 12 George Walk in Elliot Lake’s lower plaza.
“I tip my hat to all the candidates who put their names in,” Hughes said at the office opening. “It’s not an easy riding to campaign through and so I want to wish everybody (riding candidates) the very best.” She also thanks her campaign volunteers for the work they are doing.
“For us in the NDP, what we want for ourselves we want for everyone,” she added.
She urged voters to get “engaged” in the election. In the 2015 federal election the riding registered a voter turnout of 66.32 percent.
“We want to make sure that everybody is able to live a life where we feel that we all belong,” she said of the NDP election platform. “We have seen too many people who go through the cracks. We need to make sure that people have the money to pay their rents, for their food and they’re not doing without their medication We want to make sure people are not doing without.”
Among the issues the party is campaigning on is the need for better internet communication in northern Ontario. She told reporters after her opening remarks that improving skills training and internet go together to enhance job creation and job possibilities in the area.
“Internet and cell phone communication is huge in the riding,” Hughes said. “We get tons of calls at my MP office about the lack of services, the cost of it.”
“The ability to compete in the market is very difficult if we don’t have access,” she said.
“The First Nations issues are huge,” Hughes said, where some communities have difficulty getting fresh water and water services to their homes an people are living in ‘Third World’ conditions.
“People will tell me we need jobs. The issue is access to the labour market. Skilled labour is an issue,” Hughes said about the lack of schools for skilled trades in northern Ontario.
“Health care is still huge in the north,” Hughes said of the NDP plan to provide better healthcare, and universal drug and dental care.
Information about an upcoming all candidates meeting in the community has yet to be announced.
